Jurisdiction: Newly Introduced
Kansas HCR 5014 (Constitutional Amendment) Prohibits the judicial branch from directing the legislative branch to make any appropriation of money or to redirect an appropriation or limit in any fashion an appropriation already made by law, except as the legislative branch may provide by law or as may be required by the constitution of the United States. In House Federal and State Affairs Committee.
Missouri HB 951 Increases the jurisdictional limit for small claims court from $5,000 to $15,001 In House (no committee).
Jurisdiction: Floor and Committee Activity
Washington HB 1248 Increases District Court jurisdiction from $75,000 to $100,000. Approved by full House 2/19/2015.
Qualifications and Terms: Newly Introduced
Alabama HB 15 (Constitutional Amendment) Increase maximum age for election or appointment to judicial office to 75 years. In House Judiciary Committee.
Pennsylvania SB 521 (Constitutional Amendment) Requires nonattorney magisterial district judges take a qualification exam *prior to running office* (currently may take examination after). In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Tennessee HJR 91 (Constitutional Amendment) Allows legislature to set terms of office for judges of circuit, chancery, and other inferior courts. In House (no committee).
Texas HB 1511 Allows municipal judge to serve as a visiting justice of the peace in certain proceedings involving misdemeanor traffic offenses. In House (no committee).
Texas HB 1520 Provides judge defeated in last primary or general election may not sit in a criminal or civil case if either party objects. In House (no committee).
Qualifications and Terms: Floor and Committee Activity
Idaho SB 1027 Allows retired senior status judges to serve or work for state government, for example, as a teacher at a university. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 2/16/2015. Approved by full Senate 2/18/2015
Oregon SJR 4 (Constitutional Amendment) Repeals provision allowing for the establishment of a mandatory retirement age. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 2/20/2015.
Utah SB 79 Provides justices of the peace as subject to impeachment for high crimes and misdemeanors or malfeasance in office. Approved by House Political Subdivisions Committee 2/17/2015. Approved by full House 2/19/2015.
Virginia HB 1984 ORIGINAL: Increases the mandatory retirement age of judges from 70 to 73 if, for any judge who attains 70 years of age, the General Assembly authorizes the judge to continue serving the current term or upon expiration of the current term elects such judge to an additional term. AMENDED: Increases the mandatory retirement age of judges from 70 to 73 without conditions. Approved by Senate Committee for Courts of Justice 2/16/2015. Approved by full Senate with amendment 2/18/2015. Rejected as amended by full House 2/20/2015. House and Senate conference committee named.
Rule Making Authority: Newly Introduced
Tennessee HB 1259 Directs the supreme court to promulgate a rule by January 31, 2016, establishing a procedure whereby a person may apply for and take the Tennessee bar examination regardless of whether the person attended or graduated from a law school. In House Civil Justice Committee.
Tennessee SB 1242 Directs the supreme court to promulgate a rule by January 31, 2016, establishing a procedure whereby a person may apply for and take the Tennessee bar examination regardless of whether the person attended or graduated from a law school. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Rule Making Authority: Floor and Committee Activity
Arizona HB 2629 Establishes the Supreme Court as the entity responsible for licensing attorneys for the practice of law in Arizona and specifies membership of any organization is not required for attorneys to become or remain a licensed attorney in Arizona. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 2/18/2015.
Montana HB 424 Repeals Supreme Courts power to close a meeting that involves judicial deliberations in an adversarial proceeding. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 2/17/2015. Rejected by full House on second reading 2/20/2015.
Utah SJR 3 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides "The Supreme Court by rule shall govern the practice of law before the courts of the State, including admission to practice law before the courts of the State and the conduct and discipline of persons admitted to practice law before the courts of the State." (Currently does not include "before the courts of the State") Tabled by Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee 2/20/2015.
Salary and Budget: Newly Introduced
Florida HB 885 Provides for specified fees & fines to be deposited into clerks' fine & forfeiture fund instead of General Revenue. Revises list of court-related functions that clerks of circuit court may fund from fees, charges, costs, & fines. Provides annual transfer of specified funds to Clerks of Court Trust Fund rather than to General Revenue Fund. Provides for state responsibility for jury-related costs. Provides for reimbursement to clerks of court for jury-related costs. Provides for apportionment of reimbursement for jury-related costs. Specifies authorized budget for clerks of circuit court for 2015-2016 county fiscal year. Authorizes Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation to determine budget amounts for individual clerks for that period. Prefiled.
Georgia HB 377 Specifically defines court "fines and fees" subject to collection processes. Specifies local governing authority may contract out to collect such fines and fees. In House Judiciary Committee.
Kentucky HB 469 Creates a Kentucky Citizens' Commission on Judicial and Legislative Compensation. Recommendations may be rejected by legislature. In House State Government Committee.
New Mexico HB 487 Requires every municipality to enact an ordinance requiring assessed fees to be collected as court costs, outlines the fees to be collected upon conviction and the amount of each, details how the money collected can be used and deposited into a special fund. Balances available in the special fund in a municipality with a population less than 10,000 according to the most recent federal decennial census, which are not needed, may transfer them into the municipality’s general fund. In House Judiciary Committee.
Texas HB 1564 Creates judicial donation trust funds to assist needy children and families appearing before justice and municipal courts. In House (no committee).
West Virginia HB 2833 Creates Court Advanced Technology Subscription Fund to be funded from fees associated with E-filing system and the Unified Judicial Application Information system. In House Finance Committee.
West Virginia SB 460 Creates Court Advanced Technology Subscription Fund to be funded from fees associated with E-filing system and the Unified Judicial Application Information system. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
West Virginia SCR 28 Requests Joint Committee on Government and Finance study magistrate court cost collection process. In Senate Rules Committee.
Salary and Budget: Floor and Committee Activity
Hawaii HB 791 Harmonizes age and service requirements for judges who are members of the employees' retirement system with requirements for other contributory plan members. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 2/17/2015.
Indiana HB 1425 Increases the automated record keeping fee collected after June 30, 2015, from $5 to $9. Provides that 100% of the automated record keeping fee is distributed to the auditor of state for deposit in the state user fee fund. Increases the document storage fee from $2 to $4. Approved by House Committee on Ways & Means 2/17/2015.
Indiana SB 422 AS FLOOR AMENDED: Requires clerks collect $2 court security fees and distribute 100% to the auditor of state for transfer to fund administered by the Indiana judicial center. Authorizes the judicial center to award grants from the fund to defray the costs of installing, operating, maintaining, and upgrading security measures, plans, procedures, and systems in and around: (1) courtrooms; and (2) buildings that contain courtrooms; located in the county. Approved by full Senate 2/17/2015.
Montana HB 366 Allows a Justice of the Peace or Clerk of District Court to be paid up to an additional $2,000 per year in addition to their base salaries. Approved by House Local Government Committee 2/17/2015. Approved by full House 2/20/2015.
Montana HB 461 Allows justice court judges to receive additional compensation for longevity in addition to their base salary. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 2/17/2015. Approved by full House 2/20/2015.
Montana SB 235 Provides governor may not alter judicial branch budget proposals but must direct them to legislature unchanged. Approved by Senate State Administration Committee 2/16/2015. Approved by full Senate 2/20/2015.
Utah SB 183 Clarifies presiding/chief judges may receive salaries above those of other judges. Approved by Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee 2/17/2015.
Virginia HB 1506 Requires that the guidelines for conditions of all deferred or installment payment agreements for the payment of court-ordered fines or other penalties be reduced to writing as well as posted in the clerk's office and on the court's website, if a website is available. Approved by Senate Committee for Courts of Justice 2/16/2015. Approved by full Senate 2/18/2015.
Virginia SB 736 Increases from $10 to $20 the maximum amount a local governing body may assess against a convicted defendant as part of the costs in a criminal or traffic case in district or circuit court to fund courthouse security. Tabled by House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and Capital Outlay 2/18/2015.
Selection: Newly Introduced
Arizona SB 1266 Authorizes Citizens Clean Elections Commission to expend funds to engage in voter education regarding judicial retention elections. Approved by Senate Government Committee 2/18/2015.
Kansas HB 2344 Requires court of appeals judges in retention elections receive a 70% "yes" vote to remain in office. In House Judiciary Committee.
Kansas HCR 5015 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides governor to appoint appellate judges from list given by nomination commission subject to senate confirmation. Provides governor to name 5 out of 9 members of nominating commission. Requires 2/3rds vote of commission to submit name to governor. In House Judiciary Committee.
Minnesota SB 1091 Removes Designation of "incumbent" from ballot for judicial offices. In Senate Rules Committee.
Montana SB 72 Repeals law prohibiting political party endorsement of judicial candidates. Approved by full House 2/18/2015.
Pennsylvania SB 523 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides magisterial district judges to face retention elections for additional terms, rather than partisan races. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Tennessee HB 961 Creates a judicial nominating commission to select qualified persons to send to the governor for filling of vacancies in state trial courts. In House Civil Justice Committee.
Tennessee SB 1169 Creates a judicial nominating commission to select qualified persons to send to the governor for filling of vacancies in state trial courts. In Senate Government Operations Committee.
Texas HB 1416 Requires judges of state's top appellate courts (supreme court and court of criminal appeals) recuse if party, attorney, lawfirm, etc. contributed $2500 or more to judge's campaign in last 4 years. Provides a contribution made an individual to a PAC which then contributes to the judge's campaign is considered a contribution by the individual to the judge's campaign. In House (no committee).
Texas HB 1444 Ends straight ticket voting in counties of over 1 million for judicial offices and local executive offices. In House (no committee).
Texas HB 1656 Creates public financing for appellate judicial officers. In House (no committee).
Vermont SB 91 Prohibits member of judicial nominating board from serving 3 *consecutive* terms. Specifies what materials and actions of the board are public. Specifies candidate must be resident of Vermont that has practiced law at least 10 years and practiced in Vermont at least 5. Defines in detail the criteria and standards for nomination by the Board. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
West Virginia HB 2858 Creates public campaign financing program for circuit judges elections. In House Judiciary Committee.
Selection: Floor and Committee Activity
Kansas HCR 5004 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides for direct partisan election of appellate judges. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 2/17/2015.
Kansas HCR 5005 (Constitutional Amendment) Ends merit selection for Supreme Court. Provides governor may select nominees for Supreme Court and Court of Appeals subject to senate confirmation. Provides failure by Senate to vote on candidate within certain time frame results in automatic confirmation. Provides judges subject to yes/no retention elections. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 2/17/2015.
Utah HB 136 Amends the definition of "political purposes," as it relates to campaign and financial reporting requirements, to include an act done to influence a judicial retention. Approved by full House 2/19/2015.
West Virginia HB 2010 Requires nonpartisan elections of judges. Provides judges to be elected to individual seats (currently top vote-getters win). Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 2/17/2015. Approved by full Senate 2/20/2015.
Structure Changes: Newly Introduced
Kansas HB 2363 Repeals statutory requirement that there be one judge of the district court in each county. In House Judiciary Committee.
Montana SB 362 Creates new intermediate appellate court (Water Court of Appeals) to hear water disbursement dispute appeals. In House Judiciary Committee.
New York SB 3569 Creates Gun Courts. In Senate Codes Committee.
Pennsylvania SB 469 Creates Medical Professional Liability Court. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Pennsylvania SB 517 Requires creation of veterans and service member courts. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Tennessee SB 711 Authorizes creating of veterans courts in state. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Texas HB 1603 Creates chancery court and the court of chancery appeals to hear certain complex civil cases. In House (no committee).
Texas HJR 90 (Constitutional Amendment) Abolishes court of criminal appeals. Transfers all cases/jurisdiction to supreme court. In House (no committee).
Utah SB 214 Authorizes creation of veterans courts throughout state. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Washington HB 2111 Creates a tax division of the court of appeals. In House Judiciary Committee.
West Virginia HB 2782 Adjusts the judicial circuits. In House Judiciary Committee.
Structure Changes: Floor and Committee Activity
Arizona HB 2076 ORIGINAL: Representation of corporations in court. AMENDED: Expands Supreme Court from 5 to 7 seats. Approved by House Rules Committee 2/16/2015. Approved by Committee of the Whole 2/19/2015.
Arizona HB 2088 Provides presiding judge of the superior court in each county may establish a homeless court, veterans court and mental health court to adjudicate cases filed in the superior court in the county. Approved by House Judiciary Committee with strike everything amendment 2/18/2015.
Arizona HB 2310 Provides presiding judge of the superior court in each county may establish a mental health court to adjudicate cases filed in the superior court in the county. Approved by full House 2/17/2015.
Kansas SB 17 Revises Judicial Council membership. Adds House and Senate corrections and juvenile justice committee chairs. Approved by full Senate 2/19/2015.
Kentucky SB 49 Requires the Supreme Court to analyze and propose adjustments to the Commonwealth's judicial circuits and districts and the judicial assignments therein to account for population changes and caseloads in the same years as legislative redistricting is required. Approved by full Senate 2/19/2015.
Virginia SB 903 ORIGINAL: Establishes the Problem-Solving Court Act. AMENDED: Establishes the Problem-Solving Docket Act. Allows the establishment specialized court dockets within the existing structure of Virginia's court system, offering judicial monitoring of intensive treatment and supervision of offenders who have special conditions and needs based on military service, mental illness, or societal re-entry. Establishes a state problem-solving docket advisory committee and requires localities intending to establish such courts to establish local advisory committees. Grants Supreme Court of Virginia administrative oversight for the implementation of the Act. Tabled by House Committee for Courts of Justice subcommittee 2/18/2015.
Washington SB 5449 Creates a tax division of the court of appeals. Approved by Senate Law & Justice Committee 2/18/2015.
Other: Newly Introduced
Arkansas SB 450 Provides those convicted of a felony or Class A misdemeanor may not work for judiciary unless Supreme Court issues contrary rule or order. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Colorado SB 185 Requires the judicial department to report data on charges, dispositions, sentences, and probation revocations, including race, ethnicity, gender, and incident report number. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Georgia SB 135 Provides Clerk of Superior Court is sole custodian of all records clerk is required to file and retain. Provides Clerk alone to respond to open records requests for documents in Clerk's office. Allows Clerk to contract out archiving and storage of electronic records. Provides any contracting entity who releases information subject a felony conviction. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Illinois SB 1637 Provides that the prohibition on carrying a concealed firearm into a courthouse does not apply to a licensee who is a circuit or associate judge, State's Attorney, or Assistant State's Attorney; provided that the judge, State's Attorney, or Assistant State's Attorney does not carry a concealed firearm at any time while in a courtroom. Provides that the firearm, when it is not carried on the person of the judge, State's Attorney, or Assistant State's Attorney, shall be stored in a secure area in a locked compartment designated by the sheriff, or if in a building only under the control of the court in a locked compartment designated by the chief judge or resident judge. In Senate Assignments Committee.
Kansas SB 232 Prohibits false lien filings against public officials. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Kentucky SB 162 Requires that opinions of the Supreme Court be made available to the public without cost online. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Louisiana SB 26 (Constitutional Amendment) Rewrites state's impeachment provisions. Provides District Court judges and all county and municipal officers subject to impeachment. In Senate Constitution, Ethics and Elections Committee.
Nevada AB 160 Provides that justice courts and municipal courts may be held outside their township/precinct/city under specific circumstances. In Assembly Judiciary Committee.
New Hampshire SB 258 Changes the timing of determination of weighted case units for the purpose of calculating the judicial branch operating budget request and judicial salaries from October to July. In Senate Finance Committee.
New Mexico SM 89 Study the ramifications of the transfer of county employees to the magistrate courts to operate compliance programs. In Senate Rules Committee.
Oregon HB 3017 Directs Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to conduct study on mental health courts. In House Judiciary Committee.
Pennsylvania SB 522 (Constitutional Amendment) Replaces the phrase "justice of the peace" with "magisterial district judge" throughout constitution. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Rhode Island HB 5415 Enacts Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act for court decisions and court rules. In House Judiciary Committee.
Tennessee HB 1063 Increases the time in which members of the state court clerks' conference must be given notice prior to a meeting from 10 days to 14 days. In House Civil Justice Committee.
Tennessee HB 1306 Requires any meeting of supreme court justices where voting for a candidate for the office of attorney general and reporter occurs to be subject to the open meetings law In House Civil Justice Committee.
Tennessee SB 1269 Requires any meeting of supreme court justices where voting for a candidate for the office of attorney general and reporter occurs to be subject to the open meetings law In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Tennessee SB 944 Increases the time in which members of the state court clerks' conference must be given notice prior to a meeting from 10 days to 14 days. In Senate Judiciary Committee.
Other: Floor and Committee Activity
Arizona HB 2089 Makes attacks on judges for their duties aggravated assault. Approved by House Rules Committee 2/16/2015. Approved by full House 2/19/2015.
Georgia HB 207 Requires judges & jurors who are related to party within six degrees of consanguinity or affinity to recuse or be disqualified. Approved by House Judiciary Committee 2/19/2015.
Indiana SB 90 Establishes an address confidentiality program for law enforcement officials and judges. Approved by full Senate 2/19/2015.
Iowa SB 271 Details how and when persons who are limited English proficient (LEP), including those persons who are deaf, deaf-blind, or hard-of-hearing, are entitled to interpreters. Provides how interpreters are to be paid for in civil and other cases. Approved as SSB 1113 by Senate Judiciary Committee 2/17/15 .
Kansas SB 104 Authorize courts to use video conferencing for various proceedings. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 2/20/2015.
Kansas SB 128 Exempts information related to home addresses and similar information of municipal court judges. Approved by Senate Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee 2/19/2015.
Montana HB 1157 ORIGINAL: Allows elected officials to carry guns into public buildings. AMENDED: Exempts "secured court facilities" or a court facility that is not secured if the official is the defendant in a criminal proceeding occurring in the building. Rejected in House Judiciary committee 2/19/15.
New Hampshire HR 7 Directing the house of representatives to investigate whether grounds exist to impeach Judge Jacalyn Colburn for her decision in City of Nashua v. William M. Gardner, Secretary of State. Rejected by full House 2/18/2015.
North Dakota HB 1442 Limits judicial branch's ability to directly submit legislation and budgets to legislature. Rejected by House Political Subdivisions Committee 2/20/2015.
Oklahoma HB 1100 Modifies various sections related to certification standards for courtroom interpreters. Approved by House Judiciary & Civil Procedure Committee 2/17/2015.
Oklahoma HB 1125 Repeals judge's power to perform marriages. Repeals clerk of court's power to issue marriage licenses. Approved by House Judiciary and Civil Procedure Committee 2/17/2015.
Oklahoma HB 1599 Provides judges, justices, or clerks who recognize same-sex marriage licenses are to be denied salaries. Provides judges and justices who recognize such licenses to be referred to judicial disciplinary body for removal from office. Approved by House Judiciary and Civil Procedure Committee 2/18/2015.
Oklahoma SB 447 Provides clerk of court to set date and time for hearing on all motions at time of filing. Provides judges may reschedule this date and time. Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee 2/17/2015.
Virginia HJR 598 Creates a joint subcommittee to study the use of driver's license suspension as a collection method for unpaid court fines and costs and make recommendations for improvements to the current law. Approved by Senate Rules Committee 2/20/2015.
Virginia SB 789 Permits the Committee on District Courts to adopt an official seal and authorize its use by district court clerks and deputy district clerks. Approved by House Courts of Justice Committee 2/20/15.